a night at the museum

On a visit back to our island hometown, I had the opportunity to represent our sister/aunt, Angelica Urra Berrie who was a Padayaw Awardee this year. 

The Padayaw Award ceremony of the Negros Cultural Foundation was held on the occasion of their 36th Anniversary. The event was hosted at the Negros Museum on March 28, 2023, Tuesday at 5PM. 

The Negros Cultural Foundation (NCF), an organization committed to promoting and preserving the arts, culture, history, and heritage of Negros Island, marked its 36th anniversary yesterday with the launch of its official website, www.ncfiph.org. 

This year, the outstanding individuals given recognition of the Pagdayaw Awards are National Commission for Culture and the Arts chairman Victorino “Ino” Manalo, NCCA deputy executive director Marichu Tellano, and Angelica Urra Berrie of Negros Season of Culture - who are all children of Negros Island. 

The Padayaw Award recipients received an original artwork from prominent Negrense artists. Angelica and our family are now the happy owners of a Rodney Martinez oil painting.

Congratulations sister, we are so proud of you!

intertwined expressions

Back when we were residents of Makati in the late 80s, Ayala Museum and its adjacent aviary were our haven and sanctuary. 

Meandering through the cool airconditioned hall of the museum, immersing ourselves in their permanent collections or passing exhibits was a regular treat. 

In Microcosm at the Ayala Museum

The dioramas, library and archives took us back in time and into the future - worlds of wonder to inspire and delight us. 

Spring Equinox 2023

When the Sun gets to the equator and enters the tropical sign of Aries, the fire of Spirit once again descends on us. The spark of life gets ignited. The Aries quest kindled - Who Am I? What am I?

Wherever you have Aries in your chart is where this spirit awakens in you. It has called to you from your birth, and it gets re-ignited each year on the Spring Equinox.

Time to ground our self in the earth's life and death cycle. We belong and are part of this natural rhythm. Many of our cultural problems come from being cut off from it.

fire in the sky

The choices we make for this 2023 will continue to unfold for the next few years. Spring Equinox is the beginning of the new astrological year. This comes in the midst of important collective energetic shifts.

We are seeing another bank failure out in Silicon Valley as we did over 15 years ago. What will be our response now.

How was this allowed to happen again? Have we recovered enough to sustain another bailout? Will it be worth it if we have not learned any lesson from the past?

prime warriors of change

"[D]on’t let anyone ever tell you that you are past your prime.”

~ Michelle Yeoh - Best Actress, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

In a world of intrigue and envy what a joy these two delightful women carve for us. 

Michelle Yeoh & Jamie Lee Curtis

Twin flames in a world where an Asian actor and an Asian led movie winnig or losing doesn't have to represent a win or loss for a whole diaspora - carrying the weight of that history. 

poster of their award winning movie

We aren't there yet although these two shining stars have brought us closer.